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Mark Cavendish is in the pink

Mark Cavendish became the first British cyclist to pull on the pink jersey as leader of the Giro d'Italia after leading his Columbia-Highroad squad to victory in the team time-trial at Lido di Venezia yesterday.

The 23-year-old from the Isle of Man will be confident of carrying the famous jersey to another win in today's second stage, a 156-kilometre leg from Jesolo to Trieste, which is likely to end in a sprint finish.

Victory in the 20.5-kilometre team race was vindication for Cavendish and his squad, who had stoked up their rivalry with another American team, Garmin-Slipstream, in the run-up to the opening stage.

Garmin-Slipstream's manager and co-owner, the former rider Jonathan Vaughters, had targeted the team time-trial, assembling a squad of specialist riders, including Britons Bradley Wiggins and David Millar. During the winter, Cavendish said he was confident Columbia would beat Garmin in this test, and also in the